Method of making an object with a metal-non-metal seal

Abstract

An object is made by sealing a metal body of the part to a nonmetal part of the object. The metal body is formed by a powdered metallurgy process, with the metal body being formed around or with the nonmetal part. Metal powder may be sintered or bonded to form the metal body around the nonmetal part, with the metal body then contracting as it sinters and cools to form the seal around the nonmetal part. The nonmetal part may be a glass or ceramic part, and may include electrical conductors passing through nonmetal part, and sealed in holes in the glass or ceramic. The object may be any of a variety of devices such as an electro-explosive device or an electronics device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of making an object with a metal/nonmetal seal, the method comprising:
 providing a nonmetal part; and 
 forming a metal body around the nonmetal part, thereby making a seal between the metal body and the nonmetal part; 
 wherein the providing the nonmetal part includes providing an electrical insulator that is attached to and forms a seal with one or more electrical conductors and 
 wherein the providing includes:
 placing the electrical conductors in holes of the electrical insulator; and 
 after the placing, heating the electrical insulator to reflow material of the electrical insulator, to make the seal between the electrical insulator and the one or more electrical conductors. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming the metal body includes forming the metal body from metal powder. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the forming includes injection molding of the metal powder. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the forming includes sintering the metal powder to join the powder together. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sintering is done at a temperature below a melting temperature of the metal powder. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sintering also seals the metal body around the nonmetal part, with the metal body contracting against the nonmetal part as the metal body cools after the sintering. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the forming includes one or more of pressing and sintering, hot isostatic pressing, die pressing, and cold isostatic pressing. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal body differs by at least 10% from the coefficient of thermal expansion of a portion of the nonmetal part that is in contact with the metal body. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the nonmetal part includes providing a glass part. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the nonmetal part includes providing a ceramic material part. 
     
     
       11. A method of making an object with a metal/nonmetal seal, the method comprising:
 providing a nonmetal part; and 
 forming a metal body around the nonmetal part, thereby making a seal between the metal body and the nonmetal part; 
 wherein the providing includes forming the nonmetal part from a nonmetal powder; 
 wherein the forming the nonmetal part from the nonmetal powder occurs in a mold that is subsequently used in the forming of the metal body around the nonmetal part. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the nonmetal powder is sintered to form the nonmetal part. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal part is formed from a metal powder that is injected into the mold. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the metal powder is sintered to form the metal body around the nonmetal part.